Healthy Black Bean Spinach Enchiladas

This recipe that I found on Six Sister's Stuff is especially great when your garden is out of control with spinach. Everyone loves these but I don't think they make great leftovers so gobble them up fresh.

15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
15 oz. can of corn
6 oz. fresh baby spinach
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup of fat free cottage cheese
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped - optional
2 teaspoon cumin
2 cups shredded 3 cheese blend (or your favorite cheese)
1 can of enchilada sauce
8 whole wheat or flour tortillas

In a large bowl, combine beans, 1 cup cheese, spinach, corn, green onions, cottage cheese,  2 tsp. cumin, and cilantro. Preheat oven to 375. Lightly spray a 9×13 inch baking dish, and pour a small amount of the enchilada sauce to coat the bottom.Generously fill tortillas with the bean mixture. Roll up tightly with ends tucked in, and place seam side down in dish.Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas, coating evenly. Sprinkle with the other 1 cup of cheese on top. Bake about 20 minutes, and garnish with cilantro and/or green onions (optional).

Quinoa Bake

 I found this recipe on Pinterest. I made it for the first time in New Zealand and had a hard time finding canned chilies. So the one can that I could find were hot! So if you don't like spicy foods watch the chilies and chili powder.

1 cup quinoa, uncooked

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup onion, diced (about 1 medium)

1//2 green pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 cup zucchini, cubed (about 2 small)

1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 4 ounce can diced green chiles

1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

1 cup frozen corn

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 lime, juiced

Salt

2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

 

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

Place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse throughly with cool water for at least two minutes. Drain. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring, for about one minute. The quinoa should begin to dry out and pop a bit. Add the chicken stock. Stir and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and zucchini and cook 3 more minutes.

 

Fluff the quinoa with a fork and place it in a large bowl. Add onion mixture, beans, green chiles, tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano, chili powder, lime juice, and salt to taste. Mix thoroughly and transfer to prepared baking dish. Bake 30 minutes, top with cheese, and bake 10 minutes more or until melted and just beginning to brown.

Carolyn's Homemade Tomato Soup

I found another tomato soup that I love! At the end of this post you will see the orginal recipe but I just don't have a pot large enough to make this whole batch so I cut it down to one quarter and it worked out fantastic. Of course there won't be enough to bottle after we eat it for dinner but I can make another batch now that I know what I am doing and buy myself a bigger pot. Below is my version -

6 pounds tomatoes
4 stalks celery with leaves
1 1/2 onion
1 green pepper
1/2 red pepper
6 tablespoons of butter

1/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon salt

1 heaping teaspoon pepper

6 tablespoons sugar

Cut vegetables up into large chunks and put into a large pot. Cook over medium heat for 1 hour. Then blend it in a blender and strain thoroughly. Next combine butter and flour over low heat until the mixture is smooth. Then add the strained tomato mixture to the butter/flour mixture. Stir in the salt, pepper and sugar.

CAROLYN’S HOMEMADE TOMATO SOUP

½ bushel tomatoes (approximately 26 pounds)

One bunch of celery

4 – 6 onions

4 green peppers

2 red peppers

Cut all vegetable up and put into a large pot. Cook over medium heat for 1 hour. Then blend it in a blender and strain thoroughly. Next combine ¾ pound butter and 1 cup flour over low heat until the mixture is smooth. Then add the strained tomato mixture to the butter/flour mixture.

¼ cup salt

1 ½ tablespoons pepper

1 ½ cup sugar

Pour into quart jars and process for thirty minutes. Makes approximately 7 quarts

Quesadillas

Took this recipe off of Favorite Family Recipes. I didn't add the cilantro because Steve doesn't like it but it was still very tasty.

1 c. frozen corn
1 c. grated zucchini (juices squeezed out)
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp. diced jalapeno (or more if you like it hot)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1-2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 c. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
flour tortillas (if you want to be really healthy, use whole-wheat tortillas)

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for the cheese (and tortillas of course). Place mixture in a large skillet and fry until hot. In the meantime, heat a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the pan. On half of the tortilla add a few large scoops of the corn/bean mixture and a little cheese. Fold tortilla over, then flip sides. When cheese is melted, cut in half and serve!